Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture announced ambitious plans to cultivate 21 million hectares of land during the upcoming Meher (main rainy season) agricultural period. Dr. Girma Amente, the Minister of Agriculture, shared these details during a recent appearance on ETV's "Addis Ken Yehager Guday" program, highlighting the nation's preparations for its most critical farming season.
The Meher season is pivotal for Ethiopia's food security, contributing a staggering 70 percent of the country's total annual agricultural output. "The Meher farming period is Ethiopia's largest production window," stated Minister Girma.
Smallholder farmers continue to be the cornerstone of Ethiopian agriculture, with 20.3 million hectares dedicated to their cultivation during the Meher season. In a significant move to boost production, approximately 600,000 hectares will also be developed by investors for large- and medium-scale farming operations.
A key strategy to enhance yields is the "Kuta Getem" collective farming approach. This year, 13 million hectares—more than half of the land cultivated by smallholder farmers—will utilize this method. Minister Girma emphasized the success of this initiative, citing studies that show farmers employing the "Kuta Getem" approach experience a 29 percent increase in productivity.
Extensive preparations are already in full swing. Minister Girma reported that 14 million hectares of land have been plowed, with 4.3 million hectares already planted. He noted that these figures are dynamic and subject to weekly updates. The minister also explained that the staggered start of the Meher season across different regions is carefully considered when distributing essential agricultural inputs.
Furthermore, a significant transformation within the agricultural sector is the accelerating adoption of technology by farmers, a change poised to modernize practices and further boost overall production and productivity.